Fill cap lock



S. WISE FILL CAP LOCK June 27, 1933.

Filed Feb. 4, 1932 2. Sheets-Sheet l Patented June 27, 1933' names star SOLOMON WISE, O3? SHAKER HEIGE-ITS,

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FILL CAP LOOK Application filed February 4, 1922. Serial No. 590,343.

- This invention comprises a novel form of fill cap lock means to be used'in connection with fill boxes commonly'carried ongasolene, oil and similar tanks, buried beneath the surfaceof the ground and usually located at filling stations or other places where a considerable quantity of gasolene, oil, or the like, is stored. V l One object of the invention to'provide a key control lock mechanism for the fill cap, which is always looked when the attendants in charge of the tank are away so that an authorizedremcval of the tanks contents cannot be accomplished. Another'object of the invention has been to design a compact lock device to becarried by the fill cap, and utilizing a key control mechanism preferably as previously stated. l 5

Still another objectof the invention has been to devise the lock device for the fill cap in such a Way that it maybe readily thrown into locking position without the application of the key to the lock, the said key being used only when the unlocking operation is to be performed. j

Still other objects of the invention are the simplifying of the fill cap lock means materially as compared with similar known devices at present in use,both'in reference to construction and operation, andthe designing of the lock embodying the invention in such a way that a fill cap carrying the same maybe employed in conjunction with the ordinary fill boxes now in use. This enables the lock mechanism of the invention to be mounted entirely upon the fill cap and sold as a unit therewith, for substitution for present types of lock fill caps if the user of thee .appliances desires to avail of the device or" the invention in replacement for one of an old type previously employed.

In. the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view showing a cap having the lock device of the invention applied thereto, the full line position of the lock bar showing it as when inoperatively disposed, and the dotted line position illustra-ting its operativeadjustment.

Figure 2'is a side elevation ofa fill cap unit embodying the invention.

s Figure is a sectional view through the key P ly broken away. I igure 4: is a fragmentary sectional view en about on the line 44 of Figural, showing the mounting means for the looking bar and also the limiting stop control in movement into and out of operative position i v Figure 5 is a sectional view of a fill boX, showing its cover removed, but illustrating the arrangement of the fill cap therein, in locked position. q Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken about on the line 66 of Figure 5, and partly broken away. 0

:ontrol lock parts, the locking bar being i The locking device of my invention is of very simple construction, a special objective being to make it of as few parts as possible, but of rugged form so as to be effective for locking purposes of which it is designed, though easily unlocked and practically easy of instantaneous action to move it to locking adjustment. v i

In connection with the drawings, there. will be seen illustrated a fill box A provided at its upper end with the usual internal screw threads 1 to connect therewith a cover not shown. At its lower end, the fill box is internally threaded as shown at 2, to connect it with the tank or reservoir on which it will be mounted.

' Intermediate or about centrally of its upper and lower ends, the fill box A has other internal screw threads 3 in screwing connection with which the fill cap 4 may be placed in the usual well known way. This fill cap crdinarily is equipped with some kind of locking means for interlocking the same with the inner walls of the fill box A so as to prevent unscrewing and removal of.

the fill cap 4 by unauthorized persons'at un- I authorized times.

The lock cooperating means ordinarily carried by the innerwall of the box A comprises a series of lock lugs 5 disposed at spaced interval as seen best in Figures 5 and 6.

My lock means proper which is carried by the fill cap 4i includesa lock bar 6, having a finger or thumb piece 7 at its inner end and having a locking arm '8 at its opposite end, movableso as to project beyond the periphery of the fill cap into a path of move-; ment causing it to engage with one oran other of the lugs 5 dependent on howitightly the fill cap 4,,is screwed in place in the box A, The screwing'an'd unscrewing of the fill cap 4 is ordinarlly effected by suitable tool or wrench having a head to enter therectangular recess 8a formed in the upper surface andcentrally of the fill cap 4. The lock'bar 6 at its inner end forms a guard member 9, adapted to project over this recess 8a so as to prevent insertion into the recess of the wrench or tool by which unscrewing of the cap, 4 might be accomplished. The thumb ,it :is mounted. .7 For, limiting the pivotal l piece 7 is really carrieclhy the guard portion 9 of the lock bar 6. The bar 6 is pivoted between itsends by means of a suitableanchoring pivot bolt ,10-to the cap 1 said bolt 10 passing through a suitable opening in cap, and an opening in the bar 6, the latter opening designated 11 and beingv counterbored so as to enlarge its upper end portion in which the head of the bolt '10 vis mounted This permits of inserting a spring 12 beneath the head of the bolt 10-so that tension is always placed downwardly onthe lock bar 6 for holdingthe sameinpretty close working engagementlw-ith that portion of the upper surface of the cap 4 at which movement of the bar 6 on the pivot 10, there is used a stop 13consisting of a self securing stop pin driven into an opening 14 formedin th'e upper surface of the cap 4.

'- upper projecting end of the stop pin 13 enters an arcuate recess 15 shown best in dotted linesin Figure l as provided in the under surface of the central portion of the vrs:

lock bar 6.

1 The-re remains instrumentalities by which the lock bar 6is 3 maintained in the position of Figures 5 and 6, wherein it is operative to prevent removal of the cap 4, because even if the cap were given a slight turn movement, the outer end .of the lock-bar wouldengage one of the lugs 1 5. 'However, such movement cannot be init ated because the guard9 1s overthe recess 8;; and prevents the insertion of a turning toolfor unscrewing the cap, ordinarily.

ii The locking instrumentalities for holding the bar 6 insaid locking position may be of various types, but those illustrated are shown best in Figure S 'as comprising a series of concentric cylinders 16 and 17 arranged in two series or sets the set 16 primarily carried withinthe body of the cap 4 and the set 17 primarilyj carried within the body of the bar 6 The key 18 is utilized to so move the concentric locking cylinder 17 and those designated 16 that the line of cleavage between the cylinders 16 and 17 will coincide with a to be described the lock straight line between the cap 4: and the bar 6 as shown in Figure 3. At such time, the

bar 6 is unlocked and free to be swung horizontally or pivotally around its pivot 10 to disengage its outer end from the path of movement betweenthe lugs. The key 18 is thereby utilized as a handle to swing the lock to open position. *lVhen so moved, the outer or upper cylinders 17 of the lock mechanism engage the surface ofthe cap and remain held in'unlocking position by such engagement, as illustrated by the full line position of the parts in Figure 1.

' Owing to the type of lock means 16 and 17 used the lock member 6 when in the unlocked position of Figure 1, full lines, may be readily shifted to the dotted lineposition wherein it performs its lock'function by sim- 4 and 6 thus locking'the'ba-r 6 againstpivotal movementztoriunlock the same.

I do not wish tobe restricted to theiexact details of construction shown in the drawings in the carrying outofimy invention, nor to the exact form of the locking instrumentalities 16 and 17, all as will be determinechby the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent of. the United States, is

1. A locking fill cap for fill boxes. the same comprising a fill cap, a. movable locking bar carried .by said cap and shiftable into a position to cooperate with a fillbox to prevent removal of the cap, means securing the locking bar to thecap for movement in a plane substantially parallel with the upper surface of the cap, together with looking instrumentalities for holding thellocking bar against movement, said locking instrumentalities being movable with the locking bar to'a position engaging the cap and thus held inactive when the locking bar is at an unlocked adjustment, and including parts to automati- "locking bar to the cap for movement in a plane substantially parallel with the upper surface of the cap, together withlocking instrumentalities for holding the locking bar against movement, the fill cap being provided with a central tool receiving portion to en able turning of'thefill cap by a tool, and the locking bar being provided with a guard to move over and guard the said tool receiving portion when the locking bar as in its locked position.

3. A fill cap Comprising a body having a tool receiving portion centrall thereof, a locking bar pivoted between its ends to the cap, provided at one end with a guard to extend over the tool receiving portion and provided at its opposite end with an arm for locking action in respect to a fill box in which the fill cap may be disposed, and locking instrumentalities intermediate the looking bar and the fill cap for holding the locking bar in a locking adjustment.

l. A fill cap comprising a body having a tool receiving portion centrally thereof, a locking bar pivoted between its ends to the cap, provided at one end with a guard to extend over the tool receiving portion and provided at its'opposite end with an arm for locking action in respect-to a fill box in which the fill cap may be disposed, and locking instrumentalitiesintermediate the locking bar and the fill cap for holding the locking bar in a locking adjustment said locking instrumentalities comprising members carried by the cap andby the locking bar cooperative to project b yond the line separating the locking bar and the said cap so as to hold the locking bar in locked position when so projecting. v

5. A locking fill capfor fill boxes, the same comprising a fill cap, a movable locking bar carried by said cap andshiftable intoa position to cooperate with a fill box to prevent removal of the cap, andmeanssecnring the locking bar to the cap for movement in a plane substantially parallel withthe upper surface of the cap, together with locking instrumentalities for holding the locking bar against movement, the fill cap being provided with a central tool receiving portion to enable turning of the fill cap by a tool, the locking bar being provided with a guard to move over and guard the said tool receiving portion when the locking bar is in its locked position, anda thumb piece for moving the locking bar carried by said guard.

(3. A fill cap for fill boxes comprising a cap body and a locking bar pivoted on the cap body to move in a plane parallel with the upper surface of the latter, and a pivotal connection between the locking bar and the cap including a resilient member for normally tion to coope 'atewith a fill box to prevent,

removal of the cap, the bar being external upon the cap so as to be freely movable by hand to its locking position relatively to the fill box, and locking, instrumentalities to hold the bar in locked position including parts held inoperative or unlocked when the bar is out of locked position, andincluding other parts to automatically shift the before-mentioned parts toloeking engagement with the fill cap to lock the bar in its locking position after movement thereto by hand.

8. A locking fill cap for fill boxes, the same comprising a fill cap, a movable locking bar carried by the said cap and shiftable into a position to cooperate'with a fillbox to prevent removal of the cap, the bar being external upon the cap so as to be freely movable by hand to its locking position relatively tothe fill box, and locking instrumentalities to hold the bar in locked position including locking part-s held inoperative or unlocked when the bar is out of locked position, and including instrumentalities to automatically shift the parts to locking engagement with the fillcap to'lock the bar in its locking position after movement thereto by hand.

9. A locking fill cap for fill boxes, the same comprising a fill cap, a movable locking bar carried by the said cap and shiftable into a position to cooperate with a fill box to prevent removal of the cap, the bar being external upon the cap so as to be freely movable by hand to its locking position relatively to the fill box, means securing the locking bar to the cap for movement in a plane substantially parallel with the upper surface of the cap, together with looking instrumentalities to iold the bar in locked position including SOLOMON WISE. 

